A woman has shared her experience of developing a full-body rash due to the stress caused by medical professionals not taking her condition seriously.
23-year-old Lily Thompstone, hailing from Greater Manchester, England, has dealt with gut issues her whole life, leading to frequent sickness after meals and ongoing discomfort.
Initially diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Lily felt there was an underlying issue that had not been addressed.
In May 2023, she awoke to find her lips extremely swollen, prompting an emergency hospital visit. While there, she was given steroids to reduce the swelling.
Lily remembered: “I randomly woke up with massive lips, they were humongous. The doctor sent me straight to A&E because they thought it could be an allergic reaction.”
Despite recognizing her body was in distress, she felt her concerns were dismissed by medical staff.
A month later, a rash appeared on her chest, spurring Lily to seek answers from three different doctors. Again, she felt dismissed.
Doctors initially diagnosed her with light sensitivity and psoriasis, but Lily believed something more serious was at play.
Her condition worsened, developing into a ‘scaly’ rash that covered nearly her entire body.
“It spread from my neck. I was completely covered,” she said. “It just spread all over. When I showered, it would sting. There were hundreds of scaly spots. It covered 80 to 90 percent of my body.”
Trying to alleviate her symptoms, Lily used a UVB lamp and salt baths, which provided some relief.
She posted photos of her rash on social media with a message: “Let this be your sign to stop stressing your body out before it turns on you.”
After a year of seeking a diagnosis, Lily opted for a private consultation and learned she had endometriosis, with the condition affecting ‘all over’ her body.
Lily believes years of ‘chronic physical stress’ from a lack of proper diagnosis led to her rash, indicating that her body was in need of help.
“I wasn’t taken seriously. It was horrendous,” she said. “I had chronic physical stress from not resting, ignoring symptoms, under-eating or eating foods that didn’t support my body, and constantly pushing through discomfort. My nervous system and immune system were under strain for a long time.”
Diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body, Lily has undergone two surgeries, the latest scheduled for December 2025.
“I never contemplated having endometriosis. Whenever I went to the doctors and told them where the pain was they’d say it was IBS,” she said.
Feeling stuck, she sought private healthcare due to persistent pain whenever she needed to use the restroom, convinced something was amiss.
Finally, a specialist in endometriosis noted the findings were ‘unbelievable’.
She encourages other women to self-advocate.
“It had a mental effect on me, I felt the need to cover up because I was really embarrassed of it. It definitely impacted my confidence,” Lily said.
“Just keep pushing because it does feel like you’re at a dead end. I gave up until my psoriasis came and that gave me the push. Keep fighting, keep advocating for yourself.”
She expressed gratitude for the initial psoriasis diagnosis, as it ultimately led to identifying the true cause of her discomfort.
“Let this be your sign to stop stressing your body out before it turns on you,” she advised.